JPS6031963Y2 - Steering column device with centering device - Google Patents

Description

[Detailed description of the invention] This invention is a centering device that maintains the steering column and steering shaft in a concentric position until the steering column device installed in the cabin is connected to the steering gear fixed to the vehicle frame. The present invention relates to a steering column device with an attached steering column.

Generally, the steering gear and the steering column device are connected through a coupling means, and in the steering column device, the steering shaft is rotatably supported on the steering column via a bearing, but it is simply supported. Some models have a bearing only in the upper part and not in the lower part, and if there is an installation error in the relative position of the steering gear and steering shaft during assembly, the steering column and steering shaft may not be concentric. Due to body displacement etc. while the vehicle is running,
The outer surface of the steering shaft and the inner surface of the steering column interfere, causing various problems such as hitting noise, wear, and increased torque.

For this reason, conventionally, three centering jigs were arranged circumferentially on the outer periphery of the steering column, and the arcuate surfaces of these jigs were circumscribed on the steering column, and the centering jigs were inserted through the steering column from the circumscribed position of the arcuate surfaces. The steering column device and the steering gear were connected to each other by keeping the steering column and steering shaft in a concentric position by circumscribing the end surface of the inwardly projecting protrusion on the steering shaft.

Since each of the three centering jigs is an independent unit, when they are placed on the outer periphery of the steering column, they are fixed to the steering column by wrapping a wire around them.

After connecting, cut the wire and remove the centering jig.
It will be used again during the next assembly.

Therefore, the three centering jigs are tied together with wire,
In addition to cutting the wire, it was necessary to drill three holes around the circumference of the steering column, which had disadvantages such as poor workability and high cost.

In order to eliminate this drawback, Utility Application No. 55-70359 (
In Japanese Utility Model Application Publication No. 56-17138R), we proposed a low-cost steering device with a centering device, but this proposal held the steering shaft unrotatable with respect to the steering column, so it was difficult to work on the dovetailing line. There were some inconveniences.

In view of the above, the present invention provides a steering column device with a centering device that holds the steering shaft rotatably and concentrically with respect to the steering column, and has good assembly workability before and after connection with the steering gear. It is.

To explain this with reference to the illustrated embodiment, in FIGS. 1 to 5, a steering gear 1 fixed to a frame (not shown) of a vehicle is connected to a steering shaft 3 via a shaft joint 2. As shown in FIGS.

The steering shaft 3 has a steering wheel 4 fixed to its upper end, and is rotatably supported by a steering column 6 via a bearing 5 at the upper end.

The upper part of the steering column 6 is attached to the lower surface of an instrument panel 8 in the cabin by an upper bracket 7, and the lower part is attached to a dashboard board 14 by a lower bracket 9.

A dust seal 13 is provided on the inner surface of the lower end of the steering column 6.
are fitted to form a seal between the steering shaft 3 and the steering column 6, thereby preventing dust and the like from entering inside.

Until the connection between the steering gear 1 and the steering shaft 3 via the shaft coupling 2 is completed, two orthogonal centering jigs 10 penetrate through the steering column 6.
The two rod-shaped parts 15 of the centering jig sandwich the outer peripheral surface of the steering shaft 3 and hold the steering shaft 3 in a rotatably concentric position with respect to the steering column 6.

The steering column 6 is provided with two sets of through holes 11 that are axially spaced and orthogonal to each other, and the outer peripheral surface of the steering shaft 3 is located at an axial position corresponding to the lower through hole (not shown). A circumferential groove 12 is provided therein.

The through hole 11 is long and penetrates the steering column 6 from the outer surface to the inner surface, and then from the inner surface to the outer surface.
As shown in FIG.
It may also be a set.

The length l of the upper through hole 11 is the length l of the steering shaft 3.
2 of the diameter of the rod-shaped part 15 of the centering jig to the outer diameter dimension of
The diameter of the lower through hole is slightly smaller than the sum of the diameter of the circumferential groove 12 of the steering shaft and twice the diameter of the rod-shaped portion 15. The rod-shaped portion 15 in contact with the steering shaft 3 is pressed against the outer edge of the through hole 11, so that it does not fall off naturally.

The centering jig 10 is S゛parallel 2 when in use.
It is a piano-making member consisting of a book rod-shaped portion 15 and a connecting portion 16 that connects the two rod-shaped portions 15, and the tip 17 of the rod-shaped portion is formed to be bent inward.

Place the centering jig 10 into the through hole 1 of the steering column.
1, the inwardly bent tip 17 comes into contact with the outer peripheral surface or circumferential groove 12 of the steering shaft 3, and the tip side of the centering jig 10 opens outward, and the two rod-shaped parts 15
The steering shaft 3 is sandwiched between them.

When the centering jig 10 is further inserted, the tip 17 comes into contact with the inner surface of the steering column 6 on the opposite side to the insertion side, but since it is bent inward, it can exit smoothly from the through hole 11.

By inserting the two centering jigs 10 orthogonally through the through holes 11 in this way, the steering column 6 and the steering shaft 3 are held in a concentric position, and the steering shaft 3 is held between the centering jigs 10 and the centering jigs 10 . ) Rotation is possible.

Further, in an embodiment in which a circumferential groove 12 is provided in the steering shaft 3 and a part of the centering jig 10 is fitted into the circumferential groove 12,
Although the steering shaft 3 can be fixed to the steering column 6 in the axial direction, the circumferential groove is also not necessary when axial fixation is not necessary.

When the connection between the steering gear 1 and the steering shaft 3 using the shaft coupling 2 is completed, the two centering jigs 1
0 from the through hole 11.

The centering jig 10 connects two rod-shaped parts 15 to a connecting part 16.
Since it is connected by the connecting part 16, the through hole 11 is
It is very easy to insert and remove it.

The steering column device of the present invention configured as described above is supplied to the vehicle installation line with the centering jig inserted into the through hole, and the centering jig is extracted after the connection by the shaft coupling is completed. However, the centering jig can be easily attached and detached, resulting in good workability, and since the rotation of the steering shaft is not restricted, connection work using a shaft coupling in the dovetailing line is also facilitated.

Since the centering jig itself has a simple structure and can be manufactured at low cost, it is possible to provide a steering column device that enables smooth steering during driving at a low cost.

[BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS] The drawings show an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 1 is a partially cutaway side view showing how the steering column device and steering gear are installed, and FIG. Enlarged view of part 3
The figure is a cross-sectional view taken along the ■-■ line in Figure 2, and Figure 4 is a cross-sectional view of the
5 is a sectional view taken along the line IV-IV in the figure, and FIG. 5 is a sectional view showing another embodiment of the through hole corresponding to FIG. 4. Explanation of symbols, 1 steering gear, 2: shaft coupling, 3 steering shaft, 6: steering column, 10
: Centering jig, 11: Through hole, 12: Circumferential groove, 15
: Rod-shaped part, 16 two connecting parts, 17: Tip.

Claims (3)

[Scope of utility model registration request] (1) In a steering column device equipped with a steering shaft supported by a bearing on the steering column, two sets of through holes are provided in the steering column, spaced apart in the axial direction and orthogonal to each other, and each set of through holes is used to steer the steering column. 1. A steering column device with a centering device, characterized in that a centering jig having two rod-shaped portions that sandwich the outer peripheral surface of the shaft is inserted to hold the steering shaft in a rotatably concentric position with respect to the steering column. (2) The steering column device with a centering device according to claim 1, which is a registered utility model, characterized in that the tips of the two rod-shaped portions are bent inward. (3) The centering device according to claim 1, wherein at least one circumferential groove is provided on the outer circumferential surface of the steering shaft, and a part of the rod-shaped portion is fitted into the circumferential groove. Steering column device with.